Streetlife

Cop car heister suspect arrested

A man arrested and charged with stealing two marked
police cars in South Manatee County last month was
arrested by Holmes Beach police in January for attempting
to break into an ATM machine at Cafe on the Beach,
the restaurant at the Manatee Public Beach.

Jonathan Colon-Garcia, 18, was arrested by Manatee
County Sheriff’s Office deputies and charged
with stealing the cop cars, one from Tampa, another
from Sarasota, from outside two officers’ homes.
One of the vehicles contained the officer’s weapons,
an assault rifle, a handgun and a Taser stun-gun.

The vehicles were later recovered, but the guns have
not yet been located.

Jan. 30, 111
Seventh St. N., Jesse’s Bar, burglary. The owner
of the bar reported that the back door had been forced
open and money stolen from the register.

Feb. 7, Second
Street and Bay Drive North, drug arrest. Joseph Russell,
30, of Bradenton Beach, was stopped for driving through
a stop sign. According to the report, Russell’s
driver’s license was already suspended due to
a previous drug charge. Upon arrest, a plastic bag
containing cocaine was reportedly found in the suspect’s
pocket.

Holmes Beach

Feb. 3, 3007 Gulf Drive, Anchor Inn, theft. A man
reported his bike was stolen after he left it in front
of the business.

Feb. 4, 200 block
of 54th Street, fraud. A resident reported paying a
man to replace his hurricane windows, but the work
had not yet been done.

Feb. 6, 3007
Gulf Drive, Anchor Inn, battery. According to the report,
a bartender was assaulted by a customer whom he had
asked to leave.

Feb. 6, 3248
E. Bay Drive, Walgreens, theft. A man was accused of
placing items under his jacket, but when an officer
checked, no store items were found in his possession.
The man was given a trespass warning.